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Oberlin Has First
US Trans Awareness Week

Contributed by JoAnn Roberts

When the Oberlin College Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Union decided to become the LGBT Union, they weren't exactly sure what the "T" meant. So they decided to spend a week exploring that question. In doing so, they may have made Oberlin the first U.S. college to host such an event.

"I was blown away when I heard about it," said International Foundation for Gender Education director Nancy Nangeroni. "I've never heard about anything like this."

The LGBT Trans Awareness Week planning committee put together a week of events scheduled to culminate in Oberlin's popular annual Drag Ball. The college estimates that the ball-the sixth annual event--brought 1,700 attendees this year, most of them in drag.

The earlier part of the week consisted of smaller, more intimate events, each drawing 15-20 students. Transgender activist Holly Boswell, a 1972 Oberlin graduate, led a workshop in gender spirituality and transgender liberation. Members of TransFamily Cleveland led a film showing of You Don't Know Dick, about female-to-male transsexuals, and a workshop on passing. Participants were encouraged to spend a day trying to pass in a different gender.

Later in the week, over 160 students filled an auditorium to hear a lecture on transgender liberation by Leslie Feinberg, author of Stone Butch Blues and Transgender Warriors. Feinberg arrived more than 30 minutes late because of a flight delay to find the auditorium still packed with students. After a lecture that covered transgender issues from the personal to political, students gave a standing ovation.

Boswell was pleased by the response to Trans Awareness week. She said that in her generation, people couldn't imagine questioning their gender roles.

"That's shifting, and it's great," Boswell said. "It takes the pressure off, and kids don't have to react so strongly to fight the gender oppression"

Boswell said she loves the playful approach to the Drag Ball. "People can just go and get over it," she said. "Just go play in gender."

Trans Awareness organizer Cara Wick agreed.

"I think that the 1,700 people who came to the party, most of them in drag, learned a lot from the experience," said Wick.

--via Gay People's Chronicle


TS Soap Character Gets OK
From Watchdog Group

Contributed by Doreen and Elizabeth Parker Britain's transsexual soap character may not shine among activists, but the national media watchdog found her coming out clean enough for family viewing.

The British media watchdog Independent Television Commission (ITC), has rejected ten viewer complaints about "Coronation Street" character Hayley Patterson's revelation of her transsexuality. Complainants charged that the scene in which Patterson came out to a friend were in bad taste, indecent and inappropriate for broadcast during family viewing hours. However, ITC found that the scene was handled tactfully and with "great sensitivity" and was "suitable" for family viewing.

British soap opera's first transsexual character, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, made her debut in February as a shy clerk living as a woman while awaiting gender reassignment surgery. While the producers are very proud of taking on the issue and handling it in a human way, some transsexual activists have been less than pleased. They believe that a transsexual actor should have been given the part, and are miffed that their offers to contribute to backgrounding the writers on the subject were rebuffed.

--via News Planet


Killer Won't Get Out
Right Away

Contributed by Elizabeth Parker

SYDNEY, Australia

Convicted murderer and transsexual Nicole Louise Pearce will remain behind bars after the New South Wales Parole Board rejected her application for release on parole.

Pearce, 33, formally known as Paul Wayne Luckman, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1982 over the abduction, torture and murder of 13-year-old schoolboy Peter Alan Aston.

The boy was abducted from the Brisbane suburb of Beenleigh and driven to the NSW north coast town of Kingscliff where he was murdered on May 4, 1982.

Pearce's sentence was redetermined under truth in sentencing laws in 1993 and a minimum term of 16 years' prison was set.

She was to become eligible for parole on May 5 this year but will now remain in jail after the Parole Board decided she would not be able to adjust to normal lawful community life and there was a risk she would reoffend.

The case will be reconsidered at a public hearing on June 12 this year.

--via Austrialian AP


Dad Busted In Drag
During Robbery

Contributed by Elizabeth Parker

A father-of-three was arrested while wearing women's clothing, make-up, ear rings and a wig as he waited to rob security guards delivering cash to a post office, a court heard today.

Birmingham Crown Court was told Edgar Lewis, 34, from Handsworth, was arrested by armed police and was wearing blue eye shadow, black sandals a three quarter length woman's coat, a long black wig and a denim dress.

Rachel Brand, defending Lewis, told the court her client knew he was facing a substantial sentence of imprisonment, adding: "He is a person who has tried in his life to be law-abiding despite his previous brushes with the law."

Lewis, who has a previous conviction for robbery has not worked for the last two years and would not be able to see his children when he was inevitably imprisoned.

Ms Brand said: "Whatever else a man may be he may nevertheless do his best to be a good and loving father."

Sybil Thomas, prosecuting, said Lewis, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and possession of an imitation firearm, was part of a three-strong gang apprehended in a car in Nechells, Birmingham, on the morning of October 23 last year.

Two other men arrested at the scene, Juan Pedro, 39, of Handsworth, Birmingham, and Kenneth Donaldson, 33, of Tipton, West Midlands, have also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.

All three were due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court tomorrow with a fourth man who today pleaded guilty to offences of robbery.

The prosecutor said Lewis appeared to be wrestling with clothing when he was arrested.

"It was obvious he was dressed as a woman because he had a wig on and was wearing make-up and ear rings," Miss Thomas said.

She added that the cash delivery to the post office was about 9,000.

After the hearing Detective Chief Inspector Terry Jones said the four men had been arrested after an undercover police operation involving the West MidlandsPolice Major Investigation Team.

"A police woman said before we took him away 'Can you ask him how he gets his legs so smooth?'" The police operation was mounted after a string of robberies at post offices. --via PA News




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